M stentonan
vol. XXVH, issue 2
the north Carolina school of science and mathematics
October 2006
stentorian@ncssm.edu
School to offer Pledge recitations
By Mary Kohlmann
In accordance with a North Carolina
law ratified July 12th, students and
faculty will be given daily opportunities
to recite the Pledge of Allegiance but will
not be forced to do so.
“The law requires daily recitation,
but that no one be required .to recite
the Pledge,” said Steve Warshaw, Vice
Chancellor for Academic Programs.
To meet the law’s criteria, the school
will offer three recitations each school
day: one during the early morning flag
raising ceremony, one as the flag is
lowered in the afternoon and one at a
yet-to-be-determined time between 8:00
and 11:00 AM. The location for the mid-
morning recitation will be decided by
the Faculty Council, the SGA and the
Academic Programs Department.
This program will place the impetus
on students to attend recitations, taking
the pressiue off those who do not wish to
participate.
“There is broad agreement across the
community that no one should be treated
negatively if they decide not to say the
Pledge,” Warshaw said.
Kyle Hudson, who has taught both
Amaicaa..Studjes,
says that this point is also important to
the faculty.
“The main concern that many of the
teachers have is that they want students
who want to say it and those who don’t
both to feel comfortable,” he said.
RLA Bob Liles is relieved that
student presence will not be required
at recitations, as he says was rumored
earlier in the year.
“Forcing presence is, in a sense,
forcing a level of recognition of the
Pledge,” he said.
Liles does not plan to recite the
Pledge.
“I take pledging allegiance very
seriously,” he said. “I don’t like to
pledge allegiance to any entity because
I believe that it takes away part of
myself if I do. I’ve always viewed it
as a very important tenet of the United
States that you have the right to live
in the country and not agree
with it, and I feel that pledging
allegiance is giving up that
right.”
Senior Rebecca Holmes,
who does plan to recite the
Pledge, believes that, as long
as recitation is not required
of students, the policy is
warranted.
“I don’t think
there’s anything
wTong with
[scheduling
recitations],”
she said. “1
don’t think
it’s a big
deal either.
way. I think
some people
make a point
of not saying
the Pledge not
because they
disagree with
it, but because it
makes them cool
and different and
rebellious to not want to say it. I find it
annoying when people find it uncool to
like living in America.”
Some consider the recitation of the
Pledge to be an important
opportunity for students to
show their respect, not
only for the United
States, but also for one
another.
“When you look at
adults in settings where
they say the Pledge or
sing the national
anthem, there’s such a
variety of behavior,” Board
of Trustees member Larry
Montith said. “Some put their
hand over their heart and some
just stand" there, some sing and
some don’t. It’s a reflection
of America, really. But most
people, even if they, don’t
recite it, don’t take it as
an occasion for saying,
‘You’re not doing
what I’m doing,
so you’re wrong.’
This is a great
opportunity to
look at all sides
of America’s
makeup—
how we
act, how we
see ourselves
and how we
disagree.”
According
to Board of
Art by Laura Chao Trustees
member Mike Pickett, who served on
the Educational Policies and Practices
committee in charge of discussing the law,
it can serve as an opener for a discussion
of American freedoms and traditions.
“I think it leaves space for people to
discuss all their opinions about it, which
is an American right,” he said.
To encourage such dialogue. Section
III of the law requires “instruction on the
meaning and historical origins of the flag
and the Pledge of Allegiance,” a mandate
that, according to Warshaw, Science and
Math is already fulfilling.
“We feel that American Studies
provides background on the history of
the flag and First Amendment issues, so
we feel like we were already meeting that
[regulation,]” he said.
Hudson also sees the application
of the law as a springboard towards the
application of such concepts as the Bill
of Rights..
“In our American Studies and AP
US History classes, it’ll provide an
interesting teaching opportunity,” he
said, “because we can discuss the issues
that the law raises as well as the histoiy
of the Pledge.”
As far as student reception of the
^licy goes, Warshaw is not sure what to
expect.'
“I think there will be a lot of days,
especially in the winter, on which the
weather precludes going to the flagpole
in the morning,” he said. “On days when
the weather is not prohibitive, I honestly
don’t know. I hope that there are enough
participants that people feel comfortable,
• that it’s meaningful on a group level as
well as on a personal level.”
Administration to Drama
Board: pick a new play
Photo courtesy of Joe Liles
Kathleen Hdbert, shown as the Wicked Witch of the
West in last year's production of The Wizard of O4
planned to act in The Day Room.
By Amy Bryson and Max Rose
The Day Room, directed by seniors Courtney
Angers and Justin Buie and scheduled to be performed
on Nov. 3, was formally cancelled in a meeting with
the Drama Board and the administration on Tuesday
Oct. 10.
After a month of rehearsals, the cast had already
memorized and fully rehearsed the first of the two acts
and were rehearsing the second on script. The entire
script was due to be memorized by Thursday Oct. 5,
but on that day the Drama Board was instructed to
put the play on hold as the administration assessed
complaints made by parents based on the nature of
three pages of the play.
The script was submitted to Steve Warshaw, Vice
Chancellor of Academic Programs, three weeks prior
to the play’s cancellation with a note drawing the
administration’s attention to the objectionable section.
Both directors and adviser Dana Marks made clear to
administration they were willing to edit or alter the
script as deemed necessary. The Drama Board felt the
section could easily be deleted without changing the
play dramatically.
“I was very upset because I think they took the
scene completely out of context,” said senior Kathleen
Hebert, a member of the Drama Board. “And what
upset me the most was they weren’t even willing to
consider editing the play.”
Rejecting attempts by the Drama Board to find a
compromise, the administration told the directors to
select a new play, though only Warshaw had read the
script in its entirety. Chancellor Gerald Boarman’s
decision was based on the fact that the Drama Board
represents the school.
Hebert, who rehearsed to play Nurse Baker and
Jolene in The Day Room, said that she had put over 60
hours into the production. Hebert said that she does
not represent all of the Drama Board in her feelings.
“Drama Board won’t do anything because our
position is not stable,” she said. “We are afraid if we
do something too outrageous then [the school] will
shut us down.”
In spite of the cancellation, the administration
offered additional support.
“They are offering extra money for props, offered
to get us the auditorium, offered to let the actors stay
over extended for a couple of days,” she said. “They
are being nice but nice for the wrong reasons.”
A new play will be selected this week and will
require the approval of the administration.
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